Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews (4) cheers before a college football game between Tennessee and Mississippi State at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., on Sept. 27, 2025. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Everything Mike Matthews Said Ahead of Tennessee vs Alabama

Originally posted on Tennessee Volunteers on SI
By Caleb Sisk | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 2:27 PM ET

The Tennessee Volunteers had many players take the podium on Tuesday ahead of their Saturday contest against the Alabama Crimson Tide. One of the players who spoke with the media is one of the better wide receivers on the roster at this time. That player being Mike Matthews.

Matthews took the podium to discuss the wide receiver group, as well as to discuss what type of atmosphere this Tennessee Volunteers program is walking into come Saturday night in Tuscaloosa. Here is what he had to say when speaking to the media.

Mike Matthews on The Offense Getting Better

"I would say that we're very proud, but we understand that we should start to be consistent every game, so, just going out there with the same mentality that we are trying to be the best offense in the nation. But it's been going pretty good. As long as we keep it up, it's going to make it even better."

Mike Matthews on if They Knew They Would Surprise People

"We wasn't thinking we were going to surprise nobody. We knew that the outside was going to have their own opinion, but we all knew what we had inside this building."

Mike Matthews on Tennessee's Explosive Offense

"We are very explosive, whether that's passing or on the ground with the run game and the trenches, stuff like that. So, I feel like it's going to be tough for teams to play us."

Mike Matthews on How Anyone Can Have a Good Game at Any Time

"It's real tough. It can be anybody any game. So, just having that in mind makes everybody want to play harder."

Mike Matthews on What Determines Who Has a Big Day

"I would really just say it's all of us just preparing for a game. Honestly, you can't really know whether it's your day or not. Once you get in the game and you see how the game is flowing, seeing how they care about Chris too much and now they want to cover him, now it opens up the middle of the field then you end up getting open, or just vice versa on the field."

Mike Matthews on the Challenges of Playing Alabama at Alabama

"Just doing what we do, being on top of our game. I know it's a hostile environment over there, but just trusting ourselves and keeping each other close will make us good."